This invention relates generally to the field of low voltage brackets, and more particularly to a gangable low voltage bracket.
Low voltage brackets retain low voltage electrical devices in a wall, floor, or ceiling. The NEC defines xe2x80x9clow voltagexe2x80x9d as an electromotive force rated 24 volts, nominal, or less, supplied from a transformer, converter, or battery. Low voltage brackets are thus used with telephones, facsimile machines, modems, coax cable, computer lines, multimedia, video, speaker, fiber-optic cable, etc.
Electrical contractors who install these brackets are looking for an economical way to mount low voltage devices in an existing structure quickly. Although a standard old work box could be used, some data-com wires do not work well with the wire entry points in these standard boxes. An example is coax cable or fiber-optic cable which have a minimum bend radius that are hard to manage through the cable entry points in a standard box. Since low voltage devices do not require a sealed box as higher voltages do, one solution is to cut the back off of a standard box to permit the minimum bend radius. Although this works, it is very time consuming for the electrician.
Examples of known low voltage brackets are:
a) Carlon, catalog number B100RB;
b) Arlington, catalog number LV1 (single gang) and LV2 (double gang); and
c) Caddy, catalog numbers MP1P (single gang), MPAL2 (double gang) and MP34P (3 or 4 gang).
Carlon makes only a one-gang (or single-gang) bracket, while Arlington offers single, two, and four-gang brackets, with the four-gang bracket modifiable into a three-gang bracket. Caddy offers a single-gang and a two-gang bracket. Although these devices work, the electrician installing these devices is required to keep all different sizes in stock, or be prepared to special order them as necessary to meet differing requirements.
The typical installation steps for installing these brackets are:
1) Cut a square hole in the mounting surface (usually sheet-rock or paneling);
2) Fish and pull the cable or wires through this hole;
3) Route the cables or wires through the bracket;
4) Install the bracket into the square hole cut;
5) Tighten swing arm screws to secure device to the wall making sure the wires do not fall back into the wall;
6) Attach the cables or wires to the low voltage device or plate; and
7) Attach a wall plate if one is not integral to the device.
None of the above listed devices have a provision to retain the cable or wires until they are attached to the low voltage device.
Briefly stated, one low voltage old work bracket can be ganged into a two-gang, three-gang, four-gang, etc. bracket with no modifications to the single bracket unit. The side walls are staggered so that the first side wall from the second bracket fits over the second side wall from the first bracket. Corresponding tongues and grooves hold the ganged brackets together. Each bracket preferably includes a wire retention tab and a pair of swing arms on opposing corners of the bracket frame.
According to an embodiment of the invention, a low voltage bracket includes a frame having first and second side walls and first and second end walls, with the first and second side walls being substantially parallel to each other and substantially perpendicular to the first and second end walls; and a bottom of the first side wall being in a same plane as a top of the second side wall, with the plane being substantially orthogonal to the first and second side walls and the first and second end walls.